To Be
by Spanish-Senpai
Summary: Mark is a Neko who is taken away from his abusive owner and put in a pet shop. Sean is a normal person looking for companionship in his newly lonely life. Read on as Sean helps Mark break out of the cage is past has put him into.
1. To Be Visited

**Hi! Welcome to the first chapter of To Be!**

 **Now first off, for those of you who are waiting for chapters of Crystal and Ice or Winged Wolf Demon, I'm going to have those out soon! Some things should be explained in the author's note of those chapters. So please don't be mad about this story, because I'll have another Hetalia one coming out soon as well. Heh heh . . .**

 **Anyway inspiration for this story came from reading Markicat stories on Wattpad, where this was first written. I wanted to do one myself and I'm sorry if you don't like the friendship thing going on; I've already said on Wattpad that if you wanted a romance version to request it, and I'll try to make it happen.**

 **Edit: I lied, it's romance now.**

 **Now with all that said, let's move to the story!**

* * *

Mark whimpered quietly as he lay on the ground, trying his best to stay out of his owner's way. The man had come home angry, a bad day at his gym no doubt, and immediately searched for his Neko, who had been napping on the couch.

 **FLASHBACK**

Mark had been rudely awakened by an unforgiving hand yanking on the back of his shirt. With a yelp he'd woken up and practically fallen on the floor, landing on his stomach. His owner, Mr. Cousins, stared down at him.

"Who said you could sleep on the couch?"

Mark began shaking, "Y-You d-did, M-Maste-er."

Now this wasn't completely true, but his Master had never said he couldn't sleep on the couch. He had always just assumed it was okay, because he'd never been reprimanded for it. But now he was paying dearly for those assumptions.

Mark cried out when his Master put his slightly, heeled shoe on his back and pressed down, nearly putting his full body weight on him. Mark squirmed around, trying to relieve the pressure on his ribs and not scratch the hardwood floors with his claws.

"You should see this couch now! It's covered in your FILTHY, HAIR!"

Mark gasped as more pressure was applied to his back. "P-Please . . . s-sorry. W-won't . . . do it ag-ain. H-hurts to . . . b-breath."

Mr. Cousins stared down at him before lifting his foot off of him. Mark quickly breathed in and moved to get off the floor. This was the wrong thing to do. Mr. Cousins stomped down on his back causing Mark to cry out in pain. His Master dug his foot in a little more, which made Mark squirm. Finally, he lifted his foot off the scared Neko and walked away to the kitchen and, even though Mark couldn't see it, there was a little crescent shaped bruise on his back.

Mark wished, not for the first time ever, that he was a better Neko. Maybe then his Master would want to pet him and play with instead of punishing him all the time. He was always breaking Master's rules and getting in trouble. He wanted so badly to be a good Neko, but he only caused his Master to be angry all the time.

 _'I wouldn't get punished so much if I were just_ good _for once,'_ He thought to himself as he got on his hands and knees.

His Master came back and wrapped a hand around the back of his throat without any warning. He shoved Mark's face to towards the couch, "You see that? You stay off of the couch from now on. You can sleep on this rug, but if I catch you on the couch again, you'll be punished! Understand?"

Mark nodded, still shaking. Mr. Cousins dropped Mark, but picked up his leg and slid him across the hardwood floor until he hit the wall. Mark hit his left side against the wall and cried out, gripping the hurt area. He felt tears start to slide down his face. His black cat ears were plastered next to his head, and his black cat tail, with dark grey rings, was fuzzed up.

He crawled to the doorway that led to all the rooms, attempting to stop a sob, and laid down in the dark hallway, trying to stay out of sight.

 **END FLASHBACK**

And that's where he was still staying after his Master had gone to bed. He hadn't been given dinner, which was the one meal he was supposed to get everyday, so his stomach grumbled, causing Mark to whimper again.

He decided to try and fall asleep. Maybe he would get food tomorrow. He closed his eyes and made an effort to even out his breathing and stop shaking. Eventually he was so exhausted he fell into a blessed dreamless sleep.

When Mark woke up it was because someone was knocking on the door. His Master walked out of his room grumbling, but already dressed. He almost stepped on Mark as he passed, but Mark quickly scooted out of the way. Mr. Cousins opened the door and started talking to someone. While he was doing this Mark went to stretch, but immediately regretted it as his side throbbed softly. He hissed quietly in pain. He looked down, lifting his shirt, and saw a bruise where he had hit the wall.

Seeing it made him want to cry, but crying usually made his Master angry. He decided to get up and maybe get a peek to see who was at the door. No one ever visited the medium sized home, unless they were trying to sell something. Considering that his Master was still talking to the person, Mark assumed it was someone known personally by his Master.

Mark decided to crawl over to the door. His tail swished a little behind him, but his ears were still plastered to his head. He sat next to the open door, but not close enough so that his Master would think he was trying to run. He'd tried that one time, but he had been caught and beaten so badly, his Master had needed to call a personal doctor. Thinking about it still made him shiver with fear.

His ears pricked up slightly listening to what was being said.

"-like to talk about this in further detail," a new voice said.

"Why don't you come in? We can discuss this more comfortably inside." his Master said.

Mark quickly scrambled backwards so he wouldn't be hit with the door as it swung wide open. A woman walked in. She was a redhead with business attire on, a serious expression on her face, and a clipboard in on hand.

MARK'S POV

She walked in and looked around the living room area as my Master closed the door behind her. Then she looked down at me.

"Is this him?" she asked.

"Yes, yes. I fine specimen isn't he? I got him for cheap at an auction."

"Can you ask him to stand up? I'd like to study him more. The faster we do this the faster we can file this report away," she said.

' _Report? What report?_ '

"Of course. Please, take a seat on the couch. I'm sorry it's covered in hair, but they shed you know," he tried to be funny, and failed by the unamused look on the lady's face.

She simply nodded and dusted a spot off, before sitting down and crossing her legs. She had a 'no nonsense' look on her face. Master made that face a lot. My Master joined her, sitting in the chair next to the couch.

"Mark come over here, a stand up straight!"

I walked over and stood in front of them. At first all they did was go over some basic information about me, such as: name, date of birth, breed, how long I'd been in Master's care, and what our day to day activities were like. While they did that I started to fidget. I was bored, and I hadn't been given permission to leave. Finally, they stopped, and at first I was relieved, but then they just stared at me. I felt my palms get sweaty and I gulped nervously. Had I done something wrong? Was I going to get punished now?

"Feel free to poke and prod as need."

My Master's voice, startled me and I jumped, which earned me a glare from him behind the lady's back.

The lady got off the couch and stood in front of me. I only now realized she was taller than my 5"4 height. I couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. The first thing she did was force my mouth open. I could feel her fingers poking my sharp canines. Her hands tasted like disinfectant, and I wanted her hands out of my mouth. From there she shined a light in my eye, made a noise in each ear, and had me bend all my joints. It felt like I was at the doctor again.

She prodded my chest and sides. I hissed in pain when she pressed down on my bruise. When I did, her eyebrows rose and she looked at my owner inquisitively. He simply shrugged, "He's a very clumsy creature." She hummed, accepting the response.

I was told to turn and I felt her fingers lift my shirt and skim the area around the bruise from my Master's shoe.

"What is this? Why is there such an odd bruise right here?"

". . . He was playing around the counter. On top of it to be specific. He fell and hit his back on a corner," was the slightly hesitant response he gave. Why was Master lying?

"Alright, well I guess he checks out. I'll file this under 'False Incidents' and make sure not to be so loud that the neighbors suspect you of Neko abuse," she said in a monotone voice.

My Master nodded his head, "Yes, yes, of course. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

 _'Is it just me or did that sound menacing? Am I in trouble?'_

He walked her to the door and said good-bye. When the door was closed and the sound of a car leaving was heard, he turned towards me. His eyes burned with fury. I gulped, I'd never seen him this mad. "Do you _realise_ how much trouble I could have gotten into, just because _you_ couldn't keep quiet!"

I whimpered in fear, and backed into a corner. Master stood over me menacingly, and I knew I was in big, _big_ trouble.

 _To be continued~_

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading Chapter 1 of To Be. I suck at making titles so if it's the cheesiest name ever I'm sorry. I'll try and keep updates constant (don't roll your eyes at me) since I have some pre-written chapters handy.**

 **Once again please don't be upset if you want more chapters of my other stories, I'm working on it.**

 **Well that's really all I wanted to say.**

 **Bye!**


	2. To Be Punished

**Hello again!**

 **Chapter 2 up and at' em. There is no update schedule to be had with this story, so . . . sorry. I'm just not a constant person.**

 **Also you know what I like best about Youtuber stories? You don't have to put a disclaimer because Youtuber's are they're own people! I like this.**

* * *

Mr. Cousins stared down at the shaking, whimpering mess that was his Neko. The idiotic creature had trapped itself in a corner, doing some of his work for him. Quick as a whip, he reached out and latched a hand around his Neko's throat. He could see the panic in those dark brown eyes, and it made him want to squeeze tighter.

So he did.

 **MARK'S POV**

My hands flew up to the hand around my throat. I started to gasp and struggle, tears already trickling from my eyes. I panicked more when the grip tightened. I could feel my movements slowing down and my vision darkening. I whimpered when the grip went even tighter, before finally letting go.

I gasped, taking in big lungfuls of air, and blinking the spots out of my eyes. It had only lasted about 7 seconds but it felt like minutes to me. I cried out when I was suddenly kicked in the side multiple times. I tried to use my arms to protect myself, but the kicks were already over.

Master was suddenly dragging me by my hair making me yelp in pain. My eyes widened in horror after seeing we were going to the basement.

The last time I had been in there was when I had tried to run away. My Master kept all of his torture devices in the basement. I already knew there were knives and whips and an electric collar. Master also told me it was soundproof so no one could hear my pitiful self.

I tried to squirm out of my Master's grip on my hair, but he just held on tighter. He opened the door and threw me down the stairs before he followed after.

I coughed, still not fully recovered from being choked. I was forced to my feet and dragged to the corner with two cuffs hanging from chains, meant to hold my wrists.

I squirmed a bit as the cuffs clicked around my limbs, their bruising grip already cutting off circulation.

The frigid air in the basement caught in my sore throat, throwing me into a coughing fit. When I recovered my Master was standing over me, with the shock collar in one hand and a small knife in the other. I felt myself begin to tremble, from the cold and my fear.

"Maybe now you'll learn to keep your mouth shut," he said in a dark tone.

I shook my head, " P-please, I didn't s-say anythi-ng."

He chuckled at me, "You're pathetic. But you already knew that right?"

I nodded quickly, hoping that complying would make him stop.

"What else are you?"

"W-what?" I asked confused.

"WHAT ARE YOU INSOLENT NEKO?"

I flinched and remembered what he meant, "I'm u-useless-s a-and unl-l-loved. I'm l-lucky that I e-even ha-ve a roof o-over my-y head."

"What else?" he was grinning at me.

I started to sob, I didn't know what he wanted me to say. An idiot like me couldn't even understand an order this basic.

He growled and raised the whip. I clenched my eyes shut, bracing myself. The whip came down hard on my shoulder, ripping right through the thin material of my shirt, and I cried out at the pain that followed.

"P-ple-ase n-no."

He came closer and I felt him put the collar around my neck. My shaking increased. When I swallowed nervously, I could feel the collar there. It was a little tight.

I screamed when the collar was activated without warning. My hands involuntarily curled into fists. My teeth clenched and the fur on my tail fluffed out.

And then it was over.

I gasped and coughed harshly. My hands were still clenched and I was shaking violently, but at least it was over.

"Does that refresh your memory, Kitty?" He snarled at me.

I nodded, anything to be free of that awful pain. Master walked closer to me and flicked away a tear that was on my face.

"Now what else?"

"I-I'm stupid and w-worth-l-less. I c-can't fol-l-low basic c-c-comma-nds."

My Master nodded, seemingly happy with my answer, "And do you believe these things."

I nodded with a sob, "I h-have no r-reason not t-to."

He grinned at me. . .

And raised the whip again.

 **Third Person POV**

Mark was left in the basement with many whip marks on his chest and stomach, and a couple deep cuts from a knife. His Master didn't want him to die so those were bandaged, but it still hurt, and Mark tried not to move his right arm or his left leg. Even the shock collar had been left around his throat, which didn't help the soreness.

Once again he was given no dinner and now it was worse because he was cold. He couldn't curl into himself since his hands were still chained to the wall. He couldn't even fall asleep. His face felt stiff from dried tears that he couldn't wipe away.

His ear pricked when the sound of the door opening echoed in the open room. His Master's footsteps sounded heavy, and Mark shifted a little in his spot, nervous. Mark's wrists were unchained; he could already see the bruises forming.

Without warning he was grabbed by the back of his collar and dragged towards the door. Mark choked, which covered his whimper of pain as his injuries were jostled. When they were in the hallway that lead to all the rooms, his Master began to drag him towards his room. Mark knew he was probably going in his kennel.

He almost struggled against it; enclosed spaces made him extremely uncomfortable, but the threat of more punishment and Master's training outweighed the will to fight. If his Master left him in his kennel, though, and forgot about him, Mark didn't know what he'd do. This had happened once before and his Master had left him in there for three days before noticing his absence.

The kennel door was opened and he was shoved inside. As soon as he was let go, he was thrown into a coughing fit. It didn't last long, but his throat stung, and he wished he had some water. _'If I were a good Neko I'd get water. I'm the absolute worst pet. I should be thankful that my Master doesn't leave me in the rain. I deserve these punishments.'_

Mark had little to no self worth after living like this for almost a year now. Living with his Master had taught him that he was bad in every way. He didn't know these were lies, becasue this was the only opinion he had heard of himself from someone else.

His Master had already left the room, but Mark could hear his footsteps coming back. The door opened again, and in his Master's hand was a bowl. There wasn't a smell, so Mark assumed it was water. He swallowed, reminding himself how thirsty he was. His Master opened the kennel door again and placed the bowl next to Mark.

"Can't have you dying of dehydration now can we?"

Mark's hands were already reaching for the bowl, but he quickly snapped them back at the reminder that his Master hadn't directly said he could drink it. He looked up at his Master, begging silently that he would be allowed to drink the water.

If he was being given water maybe he had done something right.

His Master grinned when he saw Mark waiting for the ok, "Heh, good kitty. Go ahead." Mr. Cousins would have stayed to watch his Neko drink greedily, but he had a meeting with the owner of a rival gym and didn't want to be late. So he just closed the door and walked out.

Mark had already gone for the water when the door shut. He felt slightly warmer at the praise he had earned. The warmth was quickly doused, in a good way, as he started drinking the water.

It was cold and felt so good going down his raw throat. He drank it so fast he nearly started to choke, but slowed down to avoid further aggravation of his throat. When all the water was gone, he realised how heavy it sat in his stomach, reminding him how hungry he was. As if on cue his stomach growled. He whimpered quietly, and then decided to try to sleep so he could ignore the uncomfortable feeling.

It was hard to get comfortable with the bulky collar and wounds, but it was better than the basement, because he actually had a small, but comforting, blanket in his kennel. Eventually he found a sleeping position that didn't hurt to bad and fell into a deep sleep.

He needed help, he just didn't realize it. Lucky for him that help would be coming in a span of a couple of weeks.

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter is short, but the next one shall introduce Jack. I'm calling him Sean in the story, because in real life situations THAT IS HIS NAME.**

 ***blows out breath* Sorry, but I see that so much and it seems unrealistic to me.**

 **. . . Just as unrealistic as Neko Mark.**

 **Oh well, goodbye!**


	3. To Be Lonely

**Hi! I'm back!**

 **So I changed my mind, this is romance now. Mainly because I think I've got a bit of a knack writing romance.**

 **(You guys have only seen my sucky newbie writing) So yeah, I hope that makes you all enjoy the story just a little more.**

* * *

Sean sighed and placed his head in his hands. His elbows rested on his recording desk. The silence that replaced his shouting seemed suffocating. He leaned back in his rolly chair and groaned, loudly, just so there would be some noise.

This silence mocked him. It reminded him that he had his girlfriend had broken up and she was _definitely_ not coming back. There was no working out their problems this time.

In her wake, the silence settled.

And Sean couldn't stand it.

Finally, he opened a new tab on Google, deciding he was desperate to look up online solutions to break ups. Just for kicks; he didn't _really_ need their advice. The top search result came up and he clicked it.

It was a list of different ways to cope. Now that he was actually on the site, he felt silly. He was a grown man, he could handle a break up on his own. (Shut it Sean and go with the plot) He wiped a hand over his face and began to scroll down. It wouldn't hurt to look, and it's not like anyone else would know.

There were ten listed items in total. None of them really caught his eye, since his problem was the silence and loneliness. But then he reached number 9 and saw,

"Get a Pet. Pet's are a great way to fill the quiet and, depending on what pet you get, can be the only companionship you'll need for a long time!"

This sounded far fetched to Sean, so he just sat there and stared dumbly at the screen, before he decided he needed to go to bed. It was late, and he was just tired. He needed his beauty sleep so that he'd have enough energy to shout and disturb his townhouse neighbors.

He shut off his computer, and didn't bother to change out of his clothes. Flopping on the bed, he closed his eyes and blocked out the suffocating silence.

 _THE NEXT DAY_

The next morning, his mind drifted back to the list and number nine was still seated in his mind. Did he really want to commit to having a pet though? What if his pet was boring and quiet? He'd feel to bad to send it back.

Sean decided to think it over while he ate his morning cereal, because who had time to cook these days? Not him obviously.

He finished eating and threw his bowl in the sink, before walking back to his recording area so he could edit the video last night. Of course the game had been scary, because night was the perfect setting.

Looking back at his reactions made him laugh and he had to take a second to calm himself a few times.

He swiveled in his chair, feeling accomplished will the video uploaded behind him. With nothing to distract him he thought back to the list. AGAIN.

He leaned back with a loud sigh and decided to just go to the local pet store and browse. If he didn't see anything he liked then he would go back home and hopefully his brain would be appeased.

Sean got up grabbed his shoes, hoody, and keys before walking out the door.

While driving, he was able to appreciate the nice day. The sun was shining and people were walking on the sidewalks around him, going in and out of different stores. When the pet shop came into view he pulled over and did a pretty nice parallel park.

On his way in he saw some workers hauling a very large kennel through the back entrance. Sean stared for a second before continuing inside.

He was hit with the smell of cedar chips as soon as he opened the door. Immediately he decided he didn't want a small cage pet.

The next few minutes were spent browsing and so far nothing popped or stood out to him. He was still looking lost when a sales lady came over, seemingly noticing his disinterest.

"Can I help you sir?" she said in a cheery voice.

"Uhmm, I dunno. I'm jus' browsing right now. Nothing seems to be catching my eye."

The lady nodded, "Well maybe what you need is a different kind of pet. Have you heard about those new pets called Nekos?"

Sean nodded, of course he had, they were everywhere on the news. Some scientist had fused some DNA, but refused to tell people how he had done it. The Nekos, though, were fertile and could breed, so this made the whole situation a gold mine for the guy who made them. Some people wanted more animal fusions, and some were just weirded out.

In all honesty, Sean was on the fence with them. He didn't feel like he needed to have an opinion on it. That was the crazy protester's job. Yes, as with everything nowadays, there were protesters on the rights of the Neko's. To be fair Sean thought they had some pretty fair points. The Nekos did look and act very human, but then again they weren't very independent. It would probably be a risk to their health to let them loose on their own. Sean's mom was actually a protestor, so he didn't really think about getting one.

"Yeah, the cat people. Who hasn't heard of them?"

"Right," she said, looking a little embarrassed, "well we sell the supplies for them here, but we don't sell the Nekos themselves. The shop has been thinking about buying some to sell here. You know, ever since the demand for them went up. I think we had one come in today, but it's supposedly not fit to be adopted."

"What do you mean 'not fit to be adopted'?" he asked, confused, "Is it sick or something?"

She rubbed the back of her head nervously, "Well, not exactly, if I heard my boss right, the poor thing has been abused. Cuts, shocks, starvation, the whole shebang."

Sean's eyebrows rose in surprise; Neko's had only been around for about a year and already there were abuse cases. Really he shouldn't have been that surprised, but still. He thought back to that large kennel he had seen on his way in.

"Was the Neko brought in a big kennel? I think I saw him on my way in," he said.

"Yeah I think so. Maybe, if you're feeling up to it, I could let you go see it. They sent us his file before he was sent here and I read over it. You seem like a nice guy, maybe you'd be the one to help him," she said.

Sean scoffed, "You mean like in one of those cliche fanfictions or something?"

(That hurts me Jack. That hurts me real deep)

"No! I mean like," she paused, "a miracle, but I just read the file on some of the things done to him, and he really needs someone," she looked desperate and sad. Why did she think Sean was the one who was going to help this Neko?

"Look, I'm not exactly trained to handle this-"

" _Please_ , just look at him! Just one quick look, and I won't bother you again," she was staring at him for what seemed like forever.

Finally, Sean sighed, "Fine, but I still don't think I'm the person you're looking for."

She visibly brightened, "Thank you! Just follow me to the back room. He was given a sedative, but that should have worn off by now. He'll probably be a bit sleepy eyed, but he should be awake."

Sean let the worker girl drag him to the back area. They passed through a door that said 'Employee's Only' which really didn't bother Sean as much as it should. She led him through another door with a hospital symbol on it, and they were in the first aid area of the store. She continued to walk towards the only kennel in the room; the same one Sean had seen coming in.

It was sitting on the floor, and the edges of some blankets could be seen poking out. She crouched down and after some hesitance, Sean did the same.

Sitting inside the cage, curled in a position so his chin rested on his knees and his back was to the far end of the kennel, was the Neko. The shadow of the kennel made it hard to see any facial features. But Sean was able to see the Neko's black hair cut short on the sides and long on the top. The top was dull red, obviously needing a new coat of dye. He could just make out two fear filled brown eyes staring at the two of them.

Sean couldn't bear to look at those sad eyes, so he looked at the Neko's clothes, which really didn't make him feel any better. The poor thing's pants were baggy and covered in various rips. The shirt was big for him too, and was in the same condition as the pants.

"Hey there little guy. How're you doing?" her voice startled Sean. He had forgotten she was there.

The Neko responded by curling in tighter on itself and whimpering. The sight tugged on Sean's heartstrings. He then noticed the fuzzy black tail curled tightly around the Neko's ankles. This made Sean look closer at his head and sure enough there were two black cat ears. He hadn't noticed them earlier because they were plastered to the sides of his head.

Sean leaned forward a little more, trying to see more of the Neko. He wanted to hold the poor thing when he saw he was trembling, and Sean could see his eyes were shining with unshed tears. The Neko was terrified, and they hadn't even done anything.

He stood back up and the lady followed him. "Do you see what I mean now?" she asked.

He shook his head, "I think I'm still not qualified to take care of a Neko, much less an abused one."

She took a chart off of a nearby hook and handed it to him, "Maybe look over some things about him, and if you still don't want to I'll leave you alone. But if you decide you do want him I'll be at the counter." She turned and walked away, leaving Sean alone with the Neko.

With a sigh he looked at the chart.

 _Name: Mark_

 _Age: 23_

 _Physical Health: Bruises around throat and on left side. Lacerations on the upper right arm and lower left leg. Whip marks across chest. Crescent shaped bruise on back. Malnourished and slightly dehydrated._

 _Mental Health: Flinches at loud noises and contact. Always trembling. Won't eat or drink unless ordered to._

Sean looked up from the papers, deciding he had seen enough. With another glance at the kennel, he sighed and walked towards the front area.

She saw him walk out, but didn't motion for him to come closer. He rubbed his face with his hands, and walked over.

She smiled at him, "How can I help you?"

He looked from her to the door to her again, "I'm going to need some help picking out a few things."

Her smiled brightened, "I can definitely help with that. Follow me to our new Neko care department."

And that was how Sean found himself adopting an abused, mentally and physically unstable Neko.

* * *

 **Poor, unsuspecting Sean. He didn't sign up for this life. Oh wait he did! When he decided to look to stinkin adorable.**

 **I hope this chapter was to your standards!**

 **And one last question; Would any of you be interested in a Danger Dolan fanfiction? Cause I'm in the process of writing one on Wattpad.**

 **Well, I'll just let you think on that, good bye now!**


	4. To Be Adopted

**Welcome to Chapter 4! This chapter might be boring, but it's necessary. That doesn't sound optimistic at all does it? Heh, oops.**

 **Well Mark and Sean first impressions might not be that boring. In fact it can be considered very exciting!**

 **There's that optimism! Anyways enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

And this is how Sean found himself adopting an abused and broken Neko. At the moment he was pacing around his living room, anxious. Two days ago he had agreed to adopt Mark, who flinched away from the slightest touch, and now he was being delivered to his town house.

To be honest, adopting Mark was like adopting a child, but it took less time. Sean had to sign a lot of forms and even pay a hundred dollars. Fortunately, the pet shop took the situation into account and Sean only had to pay $25. His house even had a small inspection, which the neighbors had found suspicious, but Sean didn't pay attention to them.

The guest bedroom was now set up as Mark's room, complete with bed, one of his old computers, and the guest bathroom was his too. Anything else Mark would just have to requested, like decorations or whatever else he might want.

 _'Does he even have clothes? Meh, if he doesn't we can just go shopping later.'_

Sean was dragged out of his musings, when a knock at the door echoed through the house. He couldn't help but jump, but quickly shook away the startled feeling. _'Alright play it cool Sean; you need to show you're a nice guy and NOT scare him.'_ It was the least helpful pep talk ever, but for some reason it worked for him.

He jogged to the front door, and breathed for a second before opening it. On the other side was the lady, Audrey, who had given him the papers to sign and gave his house the inspection, two guys with the pet store logo on their shirts, and the large dog crate that held Mark.

"Hello again Sean. It's good ta see you again," she said politely.

"You too! Please come in."

The two guys each picked up one end of the crate and brought it into Sean's living room. Sean glanced worriedly at the crate when he thought he heard a small whimper. They set it next to the couch and then walked out the door to wait in the car. Audrey sat on Sean's couch. He walked over and sat next to her.

"Alright all you have to do is sign these last few papers and he's all yours," she said giving him a clipboard with a few last confirmation papers on it. Sean took it and the offered pen, quickly filling in the last lines, a ball of nerves sitting heavy in his stomach.

When he was done he handed the papers back. Audrey then handed him a little booklet with the words "Medical Care For Your Neko" on the front.

"It's so you know how to care for his wounds."

"Oh okay, thank you." Sean was very happy to have this. He had been worried he would need to call in a doctor every time he wanted to change Mark's bandages or something.

She then stood up and Sean followed her lead.

"Well Sean, congratulations on your new pet Neko. Make sure to take good care of him, and on behalf of all of us, we hope this works out for both of you," she stuck out her hand.

Sean shook the offered hand, "Thanks, I hope it does too."

She gave him one last smile before walking out of the door, leaving Sean and, the still crated, Mark the only ones in the house. Sean sighed, before bending down in front of the crate's door to peer in at the Neko inside.

Mark was pressed against the back of the cage, shivering. He had a new t-shirt and pair of pants that were clean and fit him. There was a bandage wrapped around his right forearm, and Sean assumed there was another around his leg. Mark's hair and fur had also been washed and combed. He definitely looked healthier than what he used to be.

Slowly Sean opened the crate door, keeping his hands in view just like the class he had been required to take taught him to. Mark still flinched back, and Sean inwardly wanted to flinch himself.

"Hello Mark, I'm Sean your new owner." He tried to speak quietly and softly as not to startle Mark. His efforts didn't seem to do much since Mark pressed himself into a tight ball, eyes darting at him before flitting away to the ground.

Sean swallowed nervously, "Uh . . . you can come out of there. I could show you your room. It's not really decorated, it's actually very plain looking right now, but we can get you some decorations and anything else you might want."

 **Mark's POV**

I had gone through so much change in these past few weeks, from being taken from my old Master, to meeting my new one. I had been given new clothes and my wounds had been treated. I'd even been given three meals a day.

It was all so new and I was terrified.

I was so scared that my old Master was just going to pop out of nowhere and beat me for wearing the comfy clothes and eating the nice food. Or even worse, that this was all just a dream and there was no comforts, just my small kennel with the thin blanket, not this nice cushiony one. I felt so guilty for not moving away from it, and not rejecting all these things good Nekos would get.

And my new Master, he was acting all wrong. His voice was soft, gentle. It was like he was trying to calm me down; like he wanted me to feel safe. Maybe he didn't know I was a bad Neko. What if all of this had been given to me by mistake? Would I be punished for accepting what I didn't deserve?

My hand subconsciously went to rub the bruise around my throat.

 _I want to be good._

"H-hey, are you alright?" My Master's voice cut through my thoughts, and my breathing hitched. I was already messing up.

"Y-ye-e-," I tried to respond, but my throat still hurt and my voice was so underused, so I nodded instead.

Master backed away from the crate's door. "You can come out now, you know?" He paused for a moment, and then seemed to think of something as he walked away. I couldn't see where he had gone and this made me nervous. Was he going to get something for punishment?

I wasn't given long to ponder what my new Master was doing. He came back with a bowl in his hand. I could smell something good in the bowl.

"Here, you can have this if you come out."

I wanted to crawl out of the small space and accept whatever was in the bowl, but it felt to easy. This felt like a test. What if coming out meant I'd failed? Did my new Master want to know if I could follow basic orders? Am I supposed to stay in the kennel?

"Woah, hey, calm down there. Nothing's going to hurt you."

I hadn't even realized I was breathing too quickly until my Master's soothing voice broke through my panic. He was smiling at me, and gesturing for me to come out.

Shakily, I started to crawl out, still looking for any sign of a raised fist or swinging leg coming towards me. My hand touching the chilly hardwood floor made me flinch, and I almost scurried back, but Master's hand was suddenly on my elbow, gently pulling me forward.

"It's alright . I-I'm not going to hurt you. Look see! You came out, that means you can have this."

Slowly he picked up the bowl and set it in my hands. I was still shaking, which gave the creamy liquid small waves. I looked from the bowl to my Master and back again. He frowned, making me panic for a second, before nodding encouragingly. My self control was fizzling, and the creamy stuff looked so good.

Summoning all my hope and courage, I brought the bowl to my lips, and took a sip. My eyes widened in surprise. It was so good! After the first sip I quickly guzzled down the rest of it and then used my finger to get any remaining drops.

So, amazed I was from the cream, that I forgot my Master was there watching me. I was startled back to reality when I heard him chuckle softly. Suddenly, self conscious, I blushed, and quickly set the bowl down, ducking my head so that my hair covered my eyes.

 **Third-Person POV**

"T-thank y-you," a Mark's quiet voice, mumbled. He couldn't see Sean's relieved smile.

"I'm glad you liked it so much. Now how about I show you your room?"

 _'Don't worry Mark, I'm gonna help you. You'll be okay again._

* * *

 **I don't know if I've mentioned or not, but Nekos in my world are smaller than average people. So that means Mark is shorter than Jack! Isn't that the cutest!**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I apologize for the delay. Like I said before, updating schedule's are just not my thing apparently.**

 **Well, have a good night/evening/day or whatever!**


	5. To Be Cared For

**Oh my god! Here it is!**

 **In other news, I'm not dead!**

 **I've just hit a bump in writing for my other stories. I do have chapters started, it's just hard to get the ball rolling with ideas. So if you just want to yell at me for not writing for Crystal and Ice, go ahead, but don't do it in reviews for other stories. You have a right to be frustrated. Just do so in the right places, like PMing me! Maybe you can tell me what you can suggest for something to happen, and maybe I can make it happen.**

 **Haha, anyways for those of you here for the story, enjoy! This was hard to figure out, but I think it came out okay in the end. Next chapter should be in Mark's POV.**

* * *

After getting Mark out of the crate, the next step was to introduce him to the house layout, and show him where his room was. Sean really hoped Mark liked his room, and would be excited about customizing it. There was also an empty closet that Sean would help him fill. They might want to go get him some clothes soon, seeing as all he had was what he was wearing.

Mark was still very cautious as Sean led him around. He always kept a grip on Mark's elbow, to help support Mark since he was limping from the wound on his leg. The Neko never stopped trembling and his ears were always plastered to his head, but as they went on through the house the trembling lessened slightly, and his ears came up to a normal position. This made Sean hopeful that Mark wasn't past saving. That was something Audrey had warned him about. Mark might be so scarred by what he went through that he could be this way the rest of his life. The idea made him so sad he tried not to think about if he couldn't help him.

Sean led Mark up the stairs to where the bedrooms were. Sean showed Mark his room first, wanting to leave Mark's as a best for last moment.

"And this is my room. Normally it's super messy, but I wanted it to be clean for your arrival," Sean brought him deeper into the room, "There's my bed and my computer. Oh and that's my wall of little figurines!" Mark looked around while trying to look like he wasn't. Sean would've chuckled if he wasn't worried about scaring him.

"I-I-It's n-n-nice," Mark said quietly. Sean was surprised that Mark spoke considering he hadn't said anything since thanking him earlier. Sean smiled, "Thank you! I'm glad you like it. I spend most of my time in here. It's my job to shout into a microphone and play games. You can come in here anytime you need something. Alright?" Mark nodded.

"Now I've saved the best room for last," Sean said, excitement glowing through his voice. He didn't see Mark's slightly worried face but he did feel his trembles pick up again as he led him to the last room of the tour. Sean opened the white door and revealed to Mark his room. The walls were a whitish color and the floor was hardwood, like most of the rest of the house. Against the far wall was a full sized bed. The wall to the right of the bed was dominated by a window with blue curtains and white blinds. There was another door in the room across from the bed, which led to a small walk in closet, and to the left of the bed was a computer desk with Sean's old computer and computer chair.

Mark looked around the room, fearing that more than one person lived with Sean. He didn't think he'd be up to meeting more people. He was also wondering where he'd sleep. There hadn't been a kennel in any of the rooms his Master had shown him. He knew his Master had said he had his own room, but Mark was quite sure that was wasn't true. He wasn't good enough to get his own room, with a bed that was probably better than sleeping on the floor.

When Mark didn't immediately wander around his room, Sean got worried. Did Mark not like the room? "Ah, Mark?" Mark immediately turned to him as though Sean had yelled his name, "This is your room. Remember I told you about it earlier?"

Mark's eyes widened a little, and he looked at the room and back at Sean a couple of times before he quietly asked, "W-Wha-?" His voice cracked in the middle of his question, causing him to wince and rub his throat. Sean watched him sadly, when he saw a hint of panic in his eyes. He decided to leave Mark in the room and go grab him a glass of water. "I'll be right back, okay Mark?" he asked. Mark's ears flicked and he nodded, but didn't look up at Sean.

Sean came back to find Mark was still standing where he'd left him. Sean brought the cup of water to Mark and placed it in one of his clenched hands. Mark looked at the cup before glancing at Sean through his bangs, as though he was waiting for something. Internally, he smacked himself in the forehead. Mark only ate or drank things when told too. He suddenly felt determined, that if there was one thing he was going to do, it was going to be to teach Mark he could eat and drink when he wanted to. For now though he should get Mark comfortable in his new setting. That was advice the class had given him.

"It's okay to drink," Sean said softly, trying to make it sound like he was being casual.

Immediately after he said that, Mark started to drink the water, but not with the same fervor as the cream. Sean waited till he was done, before taking Mark's hand into his own and raising his chin to look at him in the eyes. "Mark," he started, "this is a new home, and I'm a new owner. I won't be anything like your old one, and the rules of this house will definitely not be the same. I want you to be comfortable and when you're not I want you to feel like you can tell me that you want something to make you comfortable. I want you to know that whenever you want to eat something it's alright. You don't have to wait for me to tell you it's okay. If there was ever something I didn't want you to have I'd tell you," Sean realised his chin here, but Mark kept looking at Sean, "This is a new start for you, and I promise that you are going to be treated with respect. I won't ever hit you Mark, and I hope in time you can believe me when I tell you that."

Mark looked at the floor again with bangs covering his eyes. Sean was immediately worried that he'd made Mark afraid. He hadn't meant to get so passionate in his speech, but words had just started coming out of his mouth and they'd felt right to say. He did want Mark to know all this, but maybe saying it all at once was to overwhelming for Mark.

His worrying was interrupted by Mark squeezing his hand. Sean was surprised, but focused his full attention on Mark.

"B-But w-w-why wo-uld you d-do that?" Mark asked tearfully, "I'm a b-bad Ne-e-ko. I-I deserve the p-punish-m-ment I get."

Sean swallowed back a lump in his throat. Did Mark really believe he deserved the way he had been treated? Had anyone ever told him he was good or that he should have better?

 _'No, they haven't'_ He answered in his head.

Slowly, Sean let go of Mark's hand before reaching up and scratching behind his ear. Mark flinched at first, but when he realized it felt good he relaxed slightly. "Whoever told you that is wrong, Mark. No one deserves to be treated that way. Not even the worst Neko." Sean stood there petting Mark before he heard a soft rumbling noise. The source was coming from Mark, and Sean smiled as he realized Mark was purring. He gave him a few last scratches before going on to explain that this was his room. There'd be no pet bed or uncomfortable floor for him. He also explained they'd go out and get Mark new clothes, which Sean was happy to say, Mark looked mildly excited about.

He was confident that Mark wasn't past help. He'd be okay with a lot of TLC and love.

* * *

 **Gosh, I'm sappy. Look out world I'm a tree now! I'll stick your emotions together so you'll never untangle them again!**

 **Now before you get your under garments in a wad, Sean means family love right now. Like the way you love your brother or something. Romance ain't here yet folks.**

 **I really didn't mean for this to be the way the chapter turned out, but you know what? It's progress so I won't complain(to bad).**

 **One last thing, I'm sorry that this short and you all probably wanted something else out of this chapter. Trust me though, I think I know where I want to take this. It won't _all_ just be words with no background or whatever this is. It's gonna get better.**

 **Alright well goodbye! Thanks for reading!**


	6. To Be Afraid

**Long time no see my dudes! Welcome to Chapter 6 of To Be! I apologize for my long absence, but for a while there I just lost inspiration and got stuck with this chapter and other things I write but don't post. I've also been busy with family things, improving my art, and dealing with my AP courses at school. (I suck at History)**

 **I really haven't improved my writing skills, but I still hope this reads pleasantly to your eyeballs.**

 **I don't know if I'll be updating this again soon, because I only finished this chapter because inspiration slapped in the face and told me to get going or else. I knew what I wanted to do for a long time, but didn't know how to write it, so this feels like a big accomplishment to me!**

 **So with all that in mind I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's quite long being almost 2500 words, and I think you guys really deserve it for sticking with me! Please enjoy the suffering of Mark! :D**

* * *

The sky was dark by the time my Master finished explaining rules to me and talking about going out to buy me new clothes. I allowed myself to feel excited by the thought. I'd never owned any clothes other than what my old Master had me wear and the outfit the pet store had given me.

I was sitting on my bed since Master didn't want me to walk to much without his help. Master was downstairs making dinner. The smells of whatever he was cooking were drifting up throughout the house. My stomach growled while I twiddled my thumbs anxiously.

Ever since I'd been taken away from my old Master, the people around me kept feeding me more than once a day. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. My stomach didn't feel like it was constantly trying to digest itself, but sometimes I still felt guilty. Old Master said that I could earn more meals by being good, but I'd never gotten past dinner. I'd never been good enough to get more.

My ears perked at the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Master must be coming to get me! A sentence like that would've struck fear into me, but new Master had only been nice to me so far. He believed I was good. I didn't know why though, nothing had really changed about me since old Master.

Maybe old Master had been wrong about me . . .

I was pulled from my thoughts when Master opened the door, beaming at me. "Mark, dinner's ready!" He walked over to me, sitting beside me on the bed. "Are you ready to eat?" His closeness made me nervous, but I didn't scoot away. Instead I nodded and stared at the floor.

A hand behind my ear startled me, but Master shushed me softly and started rubbing gently. I felt myself relax a little. I was finding that being pet was one of the best feelings ever. It meant I was good and my reward was good also. My Master chuckled as my sore throat started to purr again. My purr sounded gross to my ears thanks to how the low rubble would get caught in my throat every now and again, but I couldn't stop it. It wasn't perfect like a normal Neko's purr. Master didn't seem to mind to much, though.

As my eyes were starting to get heavy, my stomach growled again. Eyes snapping open, I winced and stopped purring. I swallowed heavily looking out of the corner of my eye at Master. He was frowning a little, making me afraid I'd done something wrong. Ears flattening, I rubbed the bandage on my arm through my sleeve anxiously.

Before I could panic too much, Master's hand was on my elbow, gently guiding me to stand up. "It's alright Mark. Let's go have some dinner," Master said. I could almost hear the smile in his voice.

The trip down to the kitchen was slow, so I wouldn't trip and hurt myself. Every time I got worried about going too slow, Master would smile at me encouragingly. His smile made the bad feelings retreat to the back of my mind.

Once at the kitchen, Master released my elbow to go put the food together. The smell of good food was stronger here. I shuffled to a corner near the table and sat down on the floor, stretching my hurt leg out under a chair. I hadn't meant for the table to block me from view, but when Master turned back around, he called my name in a worried tone.

I stretched up and raised my hand. "H-Here." My eyes barely peaked over the table, but I could see Master smiling again, like he was holding in a laugh. I didn't understand what was funny. That was okay though, it was better seeing a Master laughing then angry.

Master set two plates and two bowls down on the table and almost sat down before looking at me with a confused expression. "Mark, why are you still sitting on the floor?"

"T-This is w-w-where I-I'm supposed to . . . supposed to eat," I said, looking over the table again.

Master eyes narrowed as his gaze wandered elsewhere for a moment. He got up and walked to me. I stared up at him before remembering I probably shouldn't do that and ducking my head.

"Well how about we do something else? I think your new seat should be at the table with me," he gently started helping me up and bringing me towards the chair with the other plate and bowl. I sat down, crossing my legs in my lap without any fuss, but I was uncomfortable being on the same level as Master. I began to fidget with my fingers.

I peeked at Master through my bangs and saw him eating a few spoonfuls of soup. I watched him until he shot me a look. "Mark, how about you take a few bits as well," he said kindly. I picked up the spoon given to me with the bowl, but I'd never used utensils to eat food or at least not since I could remember. Master seemed to realize I was unfamiliar with this way of eating and quickly began to help me. Teaching me with encouraging smiles and soft words.

It was the best dinner I'd ever had.

Time Skip Boi

That night, Master helped me to bed. He pulled back the covers and set up the pillows and waited for me to crawl onto the sheet before covering me. Immediately I sighed in comfort. My bruised torso and aching leg sank into the comfortable mattress. I heard Master chuckle at my reaction while I wondered how I lived without this before.

Master began petting my hair. "Goodnight Mark. If you need anything, just come and get me. I won't get mad if you have to wake me up."

I lifted my head a little and nodded, "T-Thank-thank y-you. Good-Goodnight Master."

Master's smiled faltered slightly, before he nodded and gave me a quick scratch behind my ear. I watched through tired eyes as he turned the light off and closed the door. Soon after my eyes slipped closed and I was asleep, to tired to think about what all had transpired today.

 _'Useless creature. Moron. Waste of space. Idiot. WHY CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT!'_

Mark jerked awake gasping, tears streaming down his face. His mind brought him to his old Master. The only thing he knew clearly was that he was on the furniture and he wasn't allowed to be on the furniture. Desperately, Mark scrambled off the bed, his bad arm catching him on the ground with a dull thud. He yelped quietly and curled into a ball, grasping his arm to his chest. He felt something wet and sticky seep through his shirt.

Instantly, he remembered that he wasn't with his old Master anymore. This was his Master's home and this was the bed his Master had given to him. Slowly, with this realization still on his mind, he uncurled himself and sat up on his knees. Mark looked down at his throbbing, shaking arm and saw that blood had soaked his bandage.

He wiped his eyes with the arm not covered in blood. The amount covering him was scary and he remembered that Master had told him he could come wake him up if he needed to.

 _'What if he didn't mean that? What if he was just being polite? I don't want to annoy him, but my arm hurts and I'm scared. And he said I could.'_

Mark didn't know what to do. Finally, he got off the floor, legs shaking under him with nerves and slight pain from one of them, and crept towards his Master's bedroom. He swore he could hear quiet talking behind the closed door.

He opened the door, poking his head into the room, ears folded to show his nervousness and tail wrapped around his leg. He squinted as the bright glow of a computer blinded him for a moment.

"AAHH! I CALL SHENANIGENS!"

Mark scrambled back with a yelp, breathe quick and shallow. His thoughts were half formed sentences and ideas that all terrified him. _'. . . knew it . . . should've stayed . . . he's so mad . . . sorry sorry sorry sorry'_

Sean heard an odd sound behind him when he paused his game to take a breather. His thoughts immediately went to Mark, and quickly he got up and opened his door to see Mark kneeling in the floor, seemingly in the middle of a panic attack and his shirt front and arm soaked in blood.

"Mark!" his voice seemed to make the Neko panic more as Mark sobbed, and he realize he probably shouldn't yell. "Mark, shh, it's okay. Calm down, breath with me okay?" Sean crouched down next to him and reached for Mark's bleeding arm, so he could look at it. Mark's eyes found Sean's and he seemed to shrink away from him, fear in his brown eyes.

Sean began a mantra of in and out to help Mark breath. If he could get him to calm down he could see what was wrong with his arm. Eventually, Mark began to take normal breaths, but he still flinched away from Sean. "Hey, hey, what's wrong Mark?" he asked softly, "Did you have a bad dream?" He said this while taking Mark's trembling arm into his hand and unwrapping the bandages a little to see how bad the opening was.

Slowly Mark nodded to Sean's question. He winced as the bandage was pulled up and the dried blood stuck to his skin. He was scared that Master was mad at him for bothering him. "I-I'm s-s-sorry," Mark whispered meekly his tail clasped tightly in his not blood stained hand while he tried to amend the situation before his Master's temper rose. He didn't see the worry in Sean's baby blue eyes.

"Mark what are you sorry for? You haven't done anything wrong?" Sean didn't understand why Mark was acting like this after such a good day. Sean started pulling Mark to his feet, so he could take him to the bathroom with the bandages. Mark followed along with minium struggle but continued to tremble.

"I-I di-didn't m-mean to-to b-bother y-you," Mark said so softly that Sean struggled to hear him. Sean noted sadly that Mark's stutter was strong again.

They reached the bathroom and Sean had Mark sit on the toilet lid while he grabbed the bandages and gauze from under the sink. Sean also found a washcloth and dampened it with warm water before he began to wipe away the dried blood so taking off the bandage would be easier. While doing this he continued talking to Mark.

"You weren't bothering me Mark. But you are worrying me now. What's bothering you?" Sean said without looking up at Mark.

Mark's breathing hitched with a sharp sob, making Sean worry if that was the wrong thing to say to him. Mark was experiencing many emotions though, ranging from relief to sadness to fear. I liked this new Master and he didn't want to make him upset. Being honest about his feelings was new, dangerous territory for him though. His old Master would've beaten him for saying something about his bad feelings. But this Master was different. He was kind and gentle from the beginning and Mark wanted to trust him so much it hurt.

"I-I-I," Mark grunted as his wound was pulled, "I h-had a b-ba-bad d-dream."

Sean looked up at him with surprise, but didn't interrupt.

"I-I w-was with m-my old M-Mas-Master, a-and h-he was y-yelling thi-ngs at m-me," new tears began to stream down Mark's face and he used his other arm to wipe them away. "I-I w-was so s-sca-scared. I p-paniced a-and f-f-fell o-on my . . . on my a-arm b-because I-I-I fell off t-t-the b-bed." Mark's throat was sore from his sobs and the amount of words he'd said. He hadn't spoken so much in a long, long time. "A-And y-you . . . you s-said I-I cou-could w-wake y-you u-up if I n-need-needed y-you, b-but you y-yel-yelled and I-I th-thou-ght y-you were y-yeling at m-me."

Sean was rewrapping Mark's arm as he finished talking, heart breaking at his poor Neko's fear. He was surprised at the pure honesty coming from the Neko. Did Mark really trust him that much? Then he realized that the yelling Mark probably freak out over was him yelling at his game.

"Oh Mark, I'm so sorry you thought I was mad at you. I was just yelling at my game, not at you. Never at you," Sean said so tenderly that Mark started to cry again. His Master was so kind! So gentle and patient with him.

Sean lifted Mark's chin so he would look at him. Sean wanted to cry himself seeing those brown orbs drowning in tears and fear. "Hey buddy, I'm glad you were going to come see me. I promise I wouldn't ever yell at you unless it was to protect you, alright?"

Mark nodded, lips quivering as he held back a whimper in his throat, and wiped his eyes again. He suddenly found himself exhausted and Sean noticed the Neko's eyes and ears drooping.

"Come on Mark. I'll tuck you in again," Sean said while smiling softly as the Neko just gave the tiniest nod and started stumbling towards his room, leaning on Sean very much so.

Sean exchanged Mark's bloody shirt for one of his before tucking him into the bed again. This time when Mark drifted to sleep, Sean stayed a little longer, petting Mark's hair and ears everytime his face creased in fear or worry. Finally Mark seemed to be fully content to sleep soundly and Sean crept across the hall to his own room to pass out as well.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!**

 **Now if your here for update info for my other stories, well then I have some bad ish news. I don't know when or even if I'll update them. I won't say they're abandoned yet, but I started writing them when I was younger and didn't have any real plot ideas for them. I just wanted some angst man.**

 **So please don't harass me, because I know what it's like to want something to update, but it takes a long time or is abandoned. I understand this struggle, but I can't be happy by half way doing something and then sharing it with the world.**

 **Anyway, have a good day! I hope to see you again soon! (But I'm not actually seeing you because this is fanfiction not Youtube, but whatever)**


	7. To Be Worried

**Hey guys! Welcome to Chapter 7 of To Be!**

 **It's only been a few months this time lol! A lot shorter than the last chapter's wait.**

 **Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, since it's mostly centered on Mark's thoughts! Also I've been neglecting Mark's lack of mobility, so I tried to bring it back in this chapter!**

* * *

The next (mid) morning was bright and sunny when Sean woke up. He sat up with a stretch and loud yawn before smacking his lips. Drowsily, he climbed out of bed and made his way downstairs to start a cup of coffee. His mind was on complete auto-pilot. After the first few sips of coffee, the fog in his head cleared and he thought about what was on the agenda for the day. It felt like he'd planned to go out for some reason, but he couldn't quite think of why. He didn't need groceries and he didn't have a sudden urge to window shop.

The answer quickly popped in his head at the thought of shopping. He wanted to take Mark out to buy some, overdue, new clothes! Smacking himself lightly on the forehead, Sean quickly made his way back upstairs to check on Mark and see if he was awake yet.

The door was already cracked open to let the hallway light shine in so Sean let himself in. To his surprise, Mark was still passed out, head nearly covered in his blanket with only the tip of one ear and some floof showing. Sean smiled at the sight and crept over to the side of his bed. He couldn't resist lifting the blanket slightly to see Mark's sleeping face. It was almost completely covered by how hard he was snuggled into the pillow and the arm cradling his head, but Sean could still see his slightly open mouth and a peaceful face as well as hear the soft, snoring breaths only achieved by a very deep sleep.

Smiling widely to himself, Sean replaced the blanket and tip toed back out into the hallway. He wanted to let Mark sleep since it seemed he didn't get very many peaceful nights.

He went back to the kitchen and made a bowl of fruity cereal. Browsing Tumblr and YouTube on his phone, he waited for Mark to get up.

Mark woke up gradually, with eyes opening slowly, the gears in his mind leisurely starting up. He stretched and yawned, being mindful of his injuries, before sitting up.

The sun was shining through his window, showing dust particles dancing through the air. The view out the window showed green trees blowing gently in the breeze and a bright blue sky. Shakily, he grabbed his arm and pinched himself, eyes clenching shut tightly. When the sharp pain passed, Mark opened his eyes and sighed in relief to find nothing had changed.

He was truly free from his old Master.

The Neko slipped out of the bed, bare feet not making a sound on the hardwood floor. He made his way to the window to get a better look outside but stood about a foot away from the actual glass. His old Master's house didn't have such a nice view and Mark was rarely allowed the chance to see outside. His old Master didn't like the idea of people passing by seeing him. Mark had always assumed it was because his old Master had been ashamed of him. Mark was pretty sure his new Master wouldn't mind though, and besides people would have to be actively searching to see him.

Mark didn't realize he was crying until a tear dripped off his face. Quickly, he scrubbed the tears away and willed himself to stop. Crying would be the worst way to show his appreciation to his new Master.

A thought suddenly struck him. He whipped around to look at the clock on his bedside table and saw 9:57 glow back at him. Keeping his Master waiting wouldn't be a good way to show his appreciation either.

Mark padded through the house on the tips of his toes out of habit than real fear. His senses were almost always on high alert and he was cautious about everything. This would be his first morning with his new Master. The Neko's caution would be higher to, hopefully, avoid confrontation with his Master. It felt like a real chance to rehabilitate himself to be a better Neko, and maybe he would be happy and make his Master happy too.

He thought all of this as he made his way down the stairs, knees shaking a little with nerves. A lot was riding on the impression he made on his Master. The pressure of this opportunity was making his chest tight with anxiety. What if he messed up? What if his Master didn't want him?

"Mark! Good morning!"

The Neko's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his Master's happy voice. He was surprised to find that he was gripping the railing of the stairs in a death grip that made his knuckles white and he was halfway to the floor. Mark sat on the stairs as his leg throbbed suddenly.

Sean noticed the pained face Mark made as he sat down. Concerned, he got up and crossed the room in fast strides.

"Are you alright Mark? Does your leg hurt?" Sean asked, while lifting the Neko's pants leg to get a look at the bandage. It wasn't soaked through, like he'd been worried about, but it could definitely do with a change.

Mark gave the smallest nod at the question. Maybe his shaking legs hadn't been only caused by his nervousness.

Sean grabbed Mark's arm and started helping him to his feet. Together they headed back up the stairs. "I'm going to change the bandage on your leg then we can fix you up some breakfast."

Although Mark didn't want to, he ended up leaning on his Master a lot, since his leg hurt when he put too much pressure on it. He hadn't walked very much since being taken away from his old Master, so he didn't know the limits of his body quite as well as he used to. Bothering his Master worried Mark, but the thought of food made Mark's spirits lift. Once again, he was being fed and the idea excited him.

Sean smiled at the gleam in the Neko's eyes at the mention of food. At least he knew of one thing that would make the Neko happy. Well, two if he considered petting, which he did.

Carefully, Sean set Mark on the toilet lid, similar to last night. This was a better situation than last night though, since Mark wasn't terrified out of his mind and almost delirious.

Sean pulled Mark's pants leg up again and made sure it wouldn't slip down. He unwrapped the bandage, checked the stitches, put some antibacterial cream on the cut, and re-wrapped it. Smiling, he helped Mark back down the stairs and to the kitchen table. While he made Mark a bowl of cereal, he realized that Mark wouldn't be able to walk around the mall. He could barely get up and down the stairs on his own. Besides, walking around would probably only make the injury worse. Already, healing for Mark's arm had taken a huge step back.

A new idea formed in his mind as he gave Mark the bowl of cereal and encouraged him to go ahead and eat.

 **"** Mark, I think we should avoid going shopping until your leg feels better." ' _And when you are less afraid of everything,'_ Sean thought to himself. Mark frowned subtly, already thinking in his mind that he'd messed up and he didn't deserve new clothes. "So instead we'll shop online and then I'll take you out when you think you can handle it."

Mark looked up, surprised, spoonful of Lucky Charms half way to his mouth. It hadn't even crossed his mind that he'd have to walk to go shopping. He felt his eyes watering again and quickly put down his spoon to press his hands to his eyes. He didn't want to cry in front of his Master.

 _'Why does he care so much about me? Old Master would've made me tough it out, if he'd ever let me outside in the first place.'_ His new Master would never cease to amaze Mark with how considerate he would be.

"-ark, Mark! Are you alright?"

Mark shook his head to clear away his thoughts. He blushed as he locked eyes with his Master. He hadn't meant to get so lost in his thoughts. "S-s-sorry," Mark stuttered quietly.

Sean reached over and rubbed Mark's hair with a smile, "It's alright Mark! Does that plan sound good with you though?"

Mark hesitantly nodded, not used to being asked questions like that, and feeling intensely shy and awkward. His tail flicked into his hand and he gripped it to try and calm himself.

Smiling Sean continued to describe the kind of clothes that he thought Mark would look good in, which happened to be mostly casual, since the Neko would be at home a lot. Mark didn't know what a lot of different styles were, but seeing his Master happy made him happy, a feeling he treasured.

* * *

 **This chapter felt a little ramble-y.**

 **Lol I'll have to do some actual planning so you guys can get some more story than Mark being worried constantly. (Or maybe that's what you guys like. I get it)**

 **Thanks for sticking with this story! And I might be posting another story soon! It might be a bunch of one shots about Mark, Jack, and Felix as Neko's! Dunno if I should make it a one shot book or make multiple new stories for each. Lol I'll figure it out either way!**

 **Bye!**


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